


Poppin' Tags

by queenhomeslice



Series: The Cleaning Girl [13]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Birthday Presents, Chubby Reader, Class Differences, Curvy Reader, F/M, Fluff, Janitor Reader, Light Angst, fat reader, plus size reader, thrifting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-09
Updated: 2019-12-09
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:53:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,165
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21734818
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/queenhomeslice/pseuds/queenhomeslice
Summary: Prompto and the cleaning girl go shopping for Noct's birthday
Series: The Cleaning Girl [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1562332
Comments: 10
Kudos: 61





	Poppin' Tags

**Author's Note:**

> Set in the context of Between a Broom and a Hard Place  
> _______  
> Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with Square Enix or any production studios behind the Final Fantasy franchise or Final Fantasy XV; I am not making money from this work and I do not own the rights to FF in any way.

“Ugh,” she sighs. “What do you even get the prince who has everything? This is really stressing me out.” 

“Don’t sweat it. Noct appreciates everything we always give him. It’s the thoughtfulness that he likes, it’s not about money or how many presents he gets.” Prompto puts his arm around ____________ and squeezes. 

_____________ nods as they meander around the lazy neighborhood. They’ve purposefully avoided downtown and all the boutiques that none of them can afford; they’re not far from Prompto’s house, in fact. 

“Oh, hey—there's the thrift store! I find cool stuff in there all the time. Like, last year I actually found the original King’s Knight console game for the GameStation. Like, the _original_ GameStation.” 

“Wait--King’s Knight had a console version?” 

Prompto laughs as they push open the door to the shop. “Yeah dude. All eight-bit graphics and synth music and all. It’s pretty cool for a first generation RPG. We can totally play it later.” 

She nods, smiling softly. Later. Later, they’re all going to be at Noct’s apartment for his birthday party. The official state celebration was a few days ago—and she was the wait staff again, much to Noct’s chagrin, but it was still fun. ___________ feels herself grow warm as she remembers dancing with her prince out on the balcony, away from all the sparkling lights and snobby nobles. 

“So...Noct likes thrifted gifts?” 

Prompto nods, violet-blue eyes twinkling in the dingy fluorescent lights. “Dude. He _loves_ cheesy shit. One time I got him the ugliest tablecloth ever—but it was a fish pattern. He had Ignis sew him a full pajama set from it.” 

“I think I’ve seen those, holy fuck,” she laughs. “That’s what those are? An old tablecloth? Okay. I think I can do this.” 

“Remember the rules,” says Prompto as he grabs a basket. “Twenty-five bucks, thirty minutes. Ready...go!” Prompto darts left. 

___________ grabs her own basket and walks to the right of the store. She sighs, knowing that she really shouldn’t spend more than ten dollars if she’s going to have enough for her bus pass for the month—and _forget_ asking Noctis for help. ___________ walks to the home good aisles—and the holy grail of stupid birthday gifts is on the top shelf, staring her in the face. It’s one of those motion-sensor singing fish, although this one seems to be devoid of batteries. She giggles and checks the price—three dollars, nice. 

She and Prompto compare their baskets once the thirty minutes is up. Prompto’s found Noct the goofiest button-up shirts he could find—wacky palm leaf and exotic flower patterns; along with an old fishing rod, a tackle box, and a pair of beer-logo sandals. He’s thrown in an impressionist painting of the Disc of Cauthess and a tin sign that says _No shirt, No shoes, No problem_. What tops off his basket, though, is the nearly-intact board game of _Monopoly_. 

“Figured we could play it tonight!” Prompto giggles as he puts it back in his basket. “All right, what did you find?” 

__________ grins and pulls out the singing fish. 

Prompto’s eyes go wide. “Holy. Fuck. No way! No way, I’ve been trying to find him one of those for forever,” Prompto whines. “How are you so good at this?” 

“You act like this is my first time in a thrift store, Prompto,” she laughs. “I have less money than you, remember?” 

Prompto’s face heats up and he nervously laughs it off, but lets her continue. 

“I’ll need to get batteries for it—think it takes double-A. My dad used to have one of these.” She puts it back and draws out the next gift. “And this...” 

“Oh now _those_ are adorable,” Prompto coos as he eyes the faded yellow chocobo-shaped salt and pepper shakers. “That’s like, useful. Look at you being all practical and stuff.” 

“And this...” She draws out a pair of superhero flannel pants that she guesses will fit the prince. “Think these’ll fit?” 

Prompto laughs. “Oh yeah. He’ll love those. We saw that movie like, twelve times in the theater.” 

“And the last thing,” she draws out a little stuffed coeurl. It’s obviously a Valentine’s day plush; the wild cat is holding a stuffed heart that reads _My love for you is easy to spot! Xoxo_ “Too sappy?” she asks. 

Prompto pets the stuffed animal fondly. “He’ll love it,” he says quietly. 

“Hey--you okay?” 

Prompto sniffs and wipes the tears that he didn’t realize were falling. “He’s so thankful for you, you know. He’s--I’ve never seen him so happy. You fit in so well with us—me, Iggy, Gladio, Noct—you're like the missing piece to his life.” 

She feels her face heat up at Prompto’s words. She’s only just gotten to know him, but it’s true—the guys always make her feel welcome, wanted, and loved. _____________ puts the toy back into her basket and leads Prompto to the registers. “That’s nice to hear,” she responds. “I’m always--” she drops her eyes and sighs. “I feel so out of my league. I mean, he’s the _prince_. And I...I clean the palace.” She sniffs. “Who would’ve ever thought?” 

“Noct’s always unexpected like that,” says Prompto warmly as he gestures for her to check out first. “He sees people for people. Hell, I’m a pleb too. But he accepted me just like that. It didn’t matter that I didn’t have money, or that I wasn’t in his usual social circles. I mean, in high school, he didn’t hang out with anyone else except me. I still feel pretty special about it all.” 

“Do you ever stop thinking you’re not worthy? Like, you’ve known him for five years now, right? Does the moment ever come?” _____________ digs in her wallet for the cash when the cashier tells her the total. 

Prompto shakes his head and watches her fork over the ten dollars. “The self-loathing is real, buddy,” he chuckles. “But Noct never makes me feel less than. He's pulled me out of my own head more times than I care to admit.” 

“It fades away when we’re... _together_ , y’know,” she says as she scoots forward so Prompto can empty his basket and pay. “But it all comes rushing back afterwards. The differences. How different I am—looks, status...I wasn’t even born in Lucis.” 

“But if you were the same as everyone else, you wouldn’t be you,” Prompto says as he smiles and digs his wallet from the back of his skinny jeans. “And then you wouldn’t have Noct. Try focusing on what you are instead of what you’re not, and you’ll start to see yourself the way he sees you. It’s...it doesn’t work every day, but it’s helped me a lot. I’m better than I used to be.” 

Noct’s two best friends exit the thrift store and make their way to the bus stop, conversation switching to what they hope Iggy will cook tonight for the prince’s birthday. 


End file.
